The project, funded through the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) aimed to commission the drafting of a Gender Identity Law for Malta that would be presented to Parliament to advocate for comprehensive legislation which:

Did not posit irreversible gender reassignment surgery as a requirement for the preferred gender identity;

Granted transgender persons the right to marry and provided a simple and straightforward path to gender recognition that was not based on lengthy and expensive court proceedings.

The main activities undertaken during the project included:

1. Commissioning Dr Neil Falzon, a human rights lawyer to draft the legislation. It was decided that a background document be drafted as an introduction to the proposed legislation grounding the Act in Fundamental Human Rights principles. The introductory document would also outline the lacunae in the current legislation and its inconsistency with European Court of Human Rights judgements to date.

The first consultation meeting was held on the 15 September 2010 at 18:00. Present for the meeting were 3 members of the trans community, a parent of a trans person, a member of the Green Party, the project steering group and Dr Neil Falzon. The aims and objectives of the project were discussed together with the main issues that needed to be addressed in the proposed legislation.

The second consultation meeting was open to the LGBT community and other individuals and aimed to explain the Act. The meeting was publicized through email, Facebook and the MGRM website. It was attended by 15 members of the LGBT community as well as representatives from the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality. Dr Neil Falzon explained the aims and scope of the Gender Identity Act through the use of a power point presentation. A discussion followed with feedback and comments from those present.

3. Publication and Launch of Proposed Gender Identity Act for Malta

The press conference launching the Proposed Gender Identity Bill was held on the 10th of December at the European Commission Representation Office in Valletta, Malta. The Press Conference was addressed by Gabi Calleja, Coordinator of the MGRM, Dr Neil Falzon and MP Evarist Bartolo. Present were various members of the Press, Hon Leo Brincat, MP for the Labour Party in opposition and Hon Karl Gouder MP for the Nationalist Party in Government. The launch was well reported in the media making headline news on One TV, the Labour Party TV station. It was also reported on NET News, the Nationalist Party TV Station. The Times of Malta also reported on the Proposed Gender Identity Act both in its online website

The Bill was tabled in parliament on the same day by MP Evarist in the presence of representatives from MGRM. It is yet to be put on parliament’s agenda for debate. A copy of the bill was distributed to all members of parliament.